Ross talks Business

Executive Vice President and Senior Counsel for the Trump Organization George H. Ross gave a lecture on having successful negotiations March 4 to a packed room of the A.B. Freeman School of Business.

Ross’ lecture, entitled “High Powered Negotiation Techniques and Tactics for Business, Law and Life,” focused on how to develop negotiation skills in order to become successful in the competitive business world.

Ross claimed that a good personality is the most important trait a businessman can have, along with knowledge of the subject matter, ability to organize information and knowledge of human nature.

“You have to figure out what makes people do things,” Ross said. “You’ve got to work, and it’s tough. You’ve got to go through the shit to get to the pony.”

Ross gave advice on how to develop these valuable traits and skills. Becoming comfortable around others, especially strangers who are new clients or associates, is crucial.

“First and foremost, you have to become a nice person,” Ross said.

Other points included becoming flexible and trustworthy and having a notebook at all times.

“You need to start writing down important information or sayings in order to remember little things about the business,” Ross said. “I do it and so does Trump, so you know it works.”

Ross spoke in detail about understanding human nature and how important it is to the negotiations process.

“People want what they can’t have, so convince them that your product is exclusive or limited edition,” Ross said. “Keep in mind that they also get overwhelmed when there are too many decisions to make at once.”

Ross spoke of the human desire for satisfaction and the belief in the “Invested Time Philosophy,” the theory that the more time someone deals with something, the less he will want to give up on it in the end. He also discussed the “Principle of Least Effort,” the theory that the path of least resistance is the one most will choose.

“All you have to do is fill in the gap,” Ross said. “If they’re not good at math, do all the numbers for them. It may seem like you’re just being nice by doing what the other side doesn’t want to do, but really the more you control the document the more control you have over the transaction.”

Ross claimed that people tend to have what is known in the business world as “deadline syndrome.” They tend to make a decision at the very last minute despite all time given to make it.

“Admit what you don’t know; it’s the first step to knowing what you don’t know,” Ross said. “People admire others who admit their mistakes, there’s no arguing when that is the case.”

Ross, a professor at New York University, admitted that it is impossible to teach all the skills needed to become a successful negotiator in 40 minutes. However as he could not at the lecture, he left the attendants with the notion that “There’s no such thing as win-lose, there’s only do or don’t do” and with an inquisitive mind, becoming a good negotiator will become second nature.

After his lecture, Ross opened the room up to discussion, answering attendees’ questions for 45 minutes.

A reception in the Atrium was held after the question and answer session for all attendants. This free event was sponsored by the Business Law Society, the Entertainment Law Society, the Student Bar Association and Tulane University Campus Programming.

Ross is the author of “Trump Strategies for Real Estate: Billionaire Lessons for the Small Investor,” a book discussing negotiation and business tactics for aspiring businessmen. He also serves as Donald Trump’s “right-hand man” as a boardroom judge on the hit ABC reality show “The Apprentice.”